The Bible, The Geeat Light Of Freemasonry.

or in which it is little known , there has been comparative stagnation , and even agriculture and the other useful arts have remained in a backward state . The benign influence of the Bible appeared in the Roman Empire , very soon

after the first propagation of Christianity , in the improved condition of woman—an improvement which has invariably taken place wherever , in more recent times , Paganism or any other religion has been supplanted by Christianity . It

appeared also in the mitigation of the woes of slavery , and ere long in the gradual disappearance of slavery from the social system of Europe ; and although it must be admitted as one of the lamentable facts of history that our own and other

Christian countries long continued to maintain slavery in their colonies , and to carry on the slave trade , it is also unquestionably true that the abolition of the slave trade , the abolition of

slavery in the British colonies , and the recent abolition of slavery in the United States , are triumphs of Christianity , triumphs of the Bible , entirel y to be ascribed to its influence over the minds and hearts of men . Let the Bible , the great light of Freemasonry , continue to shine on our altars in our lodges .

Knight Templarism And Masonry.

KNIGHT TEMPLARISM AND MASONRY .

Seeing that I have brought so many writers down upon me through my want of caution in my desire of obtaining knowledge , I must answer them in rotation as I turn over the pages of THE FREEMASON . First , Bro . Hughan ; many thanks for his kind , hints in answer to "Zanoni . "

He is quite right , in part oi his letter , where he says the greater part of the article will be found in the regulation of Supreme Grand Royal Arch Regulations ; still it is doubtful if Bro . Amott did not glean a good deal from the Masonic Landmarks of Bro . Oliver , published

fifteen years previous . However , that little matters ; " Honour to whom honour is due . " If for the first time I have forgot to quote my authority it has been unintentional . "A Scotch Knight Templar , " I must confess , rather puzzles me . He confesses that in the time of danger

"his" Order made use of Freemasonry as a sheet-anchor , and when the storm blew by , it was quietly thrown aside ; not very grateful to say the least of it . I shall merely ask him , with all due deference , which of the Orders of Templarism he belongs to , as I find there are two . I

cannot do better than copy a letter from "Oliver ' s Landmarks , " written by a Scottish Templar : — "The difference , " he says , "between the Masonic and true Templar is this : the former is made in a priory or encampment attached to a Masonic lodge ; while the latter can only be

admitted and recognised as a genuine Knight Templar by a commission or confirmation from the only Grand Master of the Order in the world ; and such commission is now never granted except to a person entitled to armorial bearings . All who cannot produce it are nothing but

noncommissioned officers and privates , and are not recognised by us except as Masonic brethren . " A provisional priory of the Scottish Order was holden at Edinburgh , Nov . 29 th , 1843 , for the admission of Lord GlerAyon , the Master of Strathallan , Sir David Dundas , and John White

Melville , Esq . ; the Preceptor and Grand Prior of Scotland , Fra . G . A . Walker Arnott , LL . D . presided . The chapter-house was decorated , & c . It seems to me to be a strange anomaly that an Order which entirely ignores Frcemasoniy , should compel its members to go through those

grades previous to joining its ranks , if "A Scotch Knight Templar- " is right ; at the same time I must remind him that Freemasonry is a religious , if not military , Order . Next to the front comes Bro . Buchan , who , without the least trouble , calmly sweeps

everything away , in his idea , by quietly telling us " this is a dream , " " that is fancy . " Certainly it is very easy , after a month or so of reading , to think what a lot . of trouble one might save themselves just by going to Bro . Buchan and be told " it is simply all moonshine . " My dear sir , that sort of reasoning is very dissatisf ying to one

Knight Templarism And Masonry.

who simply wishes to hear the opinion of others , and gain a little knowledge from the learning of others . I am quite aware of the usual way that is given of the account of how James de Molay , in 1314 , in anticipation of his speedy martyrdom ,

appointed Johannes Marcus Lormenius to be his successor in the dignity of Grand Master , and that the appointment was made by a regular , well-authenticated charter , bearing the signatures of the various chiefs of the Order , and that it is

still preserved at Pans , together with the archives , banners , & c , of the soldiery of the Temple . It seems , moreover , from the same history , that there has been an unbroken line of Grand Masters to this day . Bertrand du Guesclin was

Grand Master for some years , and the dignity was borne by several of the Montmorencies , and during the last century it seems that several of the Bourbon princes held the rank of Grand Master . Now it seems singular that such a titled

body of men , holding such an unbroken line from their foundation in the 12 th century , should require the assistance of any other body to keep them from being swept off the face of the earth , unless they had some closer link to bind them

together . Two of the best works on Templansm are in German , and I am not aware that they have ever been published in English ; they are Munter ' s " Statutenbach des ardens des

Tempelherren , " and Wilike s " Geschichte des Tempelherrenordens . " They are , unfortunately , out of my reach . CHARLES G . FORSYTH . Dunoon , May 2 , 18 71 . P . S . —Want of time prevents my writing more at present .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The Committee Meeting of this Institution was held on Saturday , the 6 th inst , at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Henry Browse , V . P ., chairman . There were present Bros . W . Raynham Stewart , W . Paas , E . Cox ,

G . Cox , B . Mallam , J . R . Sheen , H . Bridges , F . Walters , J . G . Chancellor , J . Symonds , and G . Myers , V . P . ' s ; W . Farnfield , J .

Weaver , Pierce , P . F . Grosjean , J . W Dosell , H . Massey , A . D . Loewenstark , G Smith , F . W . Shields , II . Empson , F Adlard , W . Young , J . Tamer , & c .

Bro . Binckcs , Secretary , read the minutes of the previous meeting , which were confirmed .

Three applicants were placed on the list of candidates for the October election , whose petitions were brought before this

meeting and one was again deferred . One boy who had been educated in this school had the usual £$ voted to supply his clothing .

Notice of motion was given in reference to the privileges to be given to the Vice-Patrons , and of which we have already given a report . It is arranged that a special court be held

on Thursday . May 25 th , at half-past three o ' clock p . m ., and of which the usual advertisements will appear , to consider the notice of motion and arrange the law so as to make it uniforn in both schools .

Some other business having been disposed of , the usual vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting .

THE death has been announced of Brother Lord Gaivagh , at Dublin , on Sunday . He was in his 45 th year . The deceased nobleman , Charles Henry Spencer George Canning , was second baron in the pcciagc of Ireland , and succeeded his father in 1840 . He was a member of the Lodge of Harmony , No . 255 , Richmond .

THE SAFETY OF DR . LIVINGSTONE . —At the last meeting of the Geographical Society , letters were read from Dr . Kirk , of Zanzibar , respecting Dr . Livingstone . The intrepid traveller , in October last , was at a placecallcd Manakoso , on the western side of the Great Lake , awaiting supplies to enable him to direct his steps homeward .

Consecration Of The St. Clements Dane's Lodge. No. 1351.

CONSECRATION of the St . CLEMENTS DANE'S LODGE . No . 1351 .

The ceremony of consecrating and opening this new lodge took place on Thursday ^ the 4 th instant , at the King ' s Head Hotel , 265 , Strand , London . Punctually at the appointed time Bro . John Heryey , P . G . D . and G . S ., took the chair as consecrating

officer , and having duly appointed his officers , performed the solemn and impressive ceremony of consecration in his usual admirable manner . He was ably assisted by the Rev . Brother R . J . Simpson , rector of the parish and Past Grand Chaplain , who during the proceedings gave an excellent discourse

on Freemasonry . Bro . Hervey then installed Bro . W . Hale , P . M . 780 , as W . M . of the new lodge , and he appointed the following brethren as his officers , viz ., Hamilton , S . W . ; W . Hilton , J . W . ; the Rev . R . J . Simpson , Chaplain ; Parker , Treas . ; J . Child ( churchwarden ) ,

S . D . ; John Smith , J . D . ; Rogers , I . G . ; John Gilbert , Tyler . Bro . John Savage , P . G . D ., in a correct and impressive manner gave the charges to the several chairs and the brethren . A complimentary vote of thanks was accorded to Bros . John Hervey and the Rev . R . J . Simpson for

their services , and those brethren duly acknowledged the compliment . The names of nearly a dozen candidates for initiation were proposed , including that of the worthy host , Mr . Carr , and after some formal business had been disposed of the lodge was duly closed

A very good banquet was afterwards served , which gave general satisfaction to those who partook of it , and showed how well the comforts of the brethren are likely to be attended to at the King ' s Head . About twenty-five brethren were present , and

besides those already named we noticed Bros . Joseph Smith , P . G . P . ; Fred . Binckes , P . G . S . ; W . Watson , P . G . S . ; W . H . Baylis , W . M . 9 ; H . Massey , P . M . 619 ; C . B . Payne , G . Tyler ; C . Lee , J . While , T . Parker , L . Alexander , and others .

Consecration Of The Sandeman Lodge, India.

CONSECRATION of the SANDEMAN LODGE , INDIA .

On Saturday , the 25 th March , 1871 , the interesting ceremony of consecration of Lodge Sandcman took place at the Freemasons' Hall , Dum ' -Dum . There was a large assembly of brethren from Calcutta and Barrackpore , and at 7 p . m . the following members of the District Grand Lodge of Bengal

entered the new lodge room in procession , viz . : — Bros . H . H . Locke , Offg . Dep . District G . Master ; Col . T . M . Campbell , Offg . Dep . D . G . M . ; Dr . G . H . Daly , Past Deputy D . G . M . ; Colonel B . Fordc , S . D . G . W . ; W . B . Farr , J . D . G . W " . ; Colonel W . G . Murray , D . G . Sec ; J . H . Linton , D . G . Treasurer ;

Major G . R . Fcnwick , D . G . S . D . ; H . B . Lewis , D . G . J . D . ; W . O . Mender , D . G . D . of C . ; W . B . MacTavish , Asst . ditto ; Capt . G . G . Nelson , D . G . Supt . of Wks . ; H . Compton , D . G . Org . ; J . Lindley , D . G . Purst . ; W . F . Wcstficld , W . Smith , O . B . Andrews , and T . H . Henty , D . G . Stewards ; Geo .

Alexander , D . G . Tyler . The procession was received by the following brethren , who had taken their stations under their respective banners : —J . R . Pomeroy and Ayres , of Lodge Excelsior ; R . C . Stcrndale , F . W . Robertson , and T . C . Gill , of Lodge Industry and

Perseverance ; S . Lawryand A . LcFranc , Lodge Humility with Fortitude ; Andrews and Turner , of Lodge Marine ; D . G . Lisbcnbals , E . H . Lloyd , and J . E . Barnes , Lodge Courage with Humanitv ; G . Kcighly , S . Mitchell , Capt . Sartorius , and J . H ' ill , Lodge St . Luke ; J . L . Limpus , of Lodge St . John ; and Dr .

Ferris , J . R . Alex . D'Cruz , R . Henry , A . M . Wybrow , A . Hillier , A . B . Mitchell , C . H . Harris , Burrows , J . L . Taylor , J . Andrews , A . Fricdemann , W . Girling , O . Morrisscy , J . Watson , W . Clayton , D . M'Grcgor , W . Hunt , B . Oldring , J . W . Paschiny , E . Moriarty , and others .

The various District Grand Officers having taken their stations , V . W . Bro . Henry Hover [ Locke , the Acting Deputy District Grand Master , proceeded to the east and opened the lodge in ample form , passed it to the second , and raised it in regular form to the third degree , according to ancient

custom . The brethren having resumed their scats , V . W . Bro . Locke desired the D . G . Secretary to read the Warrant of Dispensation for the formation of the new lodge . The brethren signified their assent for the formation of the lodge , avid the A . D . D . G . M .

then proceeded with the usual ceremony of consecration , in which he was assisted by V . W . Brothers Colonel Campbell and Dr . Daly . V . W . Bro . Locke offered an impressive prayer , after which the usual grand honours were given .

V . W . Bro . Colonel Campbell presented W . Bro . Isaiah Lawicnce Tayler as the first W . Master of the new lodge , and the members having signified their assent in the usual manner , he was in due form invested and inducted into the chair , after receiving an appropriate { exhortation frem the V , W » theA , P . D J Gik